Mike Aresco Unloads on CFB Playoff Committee & ESPN on Latest Rankings

[UConnDan97]

I'll say this; does the committee pick the four strongest teams every year? Maybe (or at least they pick 4 out of the top 6 or 7 teams safely).

But what I don't want to hear is any more bullstuff about a regular season meaning anything. You can pick 4 of the best teams during the middle of the season too, or even at the beginning of the season if you want. Watch; I'll do it right now for 2018:

Alabama, OSU, Clemson, Oklahoma.

How did I do? Probably pretty accurate, and if I missed, I probably only missed by a few percentage points on one or two of the teams. Feel free to swap out Miami for Clemson, or USC for Oklahoma, or Auburn for OSU. Something like that.

THAT'S NOT THE POINT OF A REGULAR SEASON!!! Yes, if you're in the SEC and you take 2 losses, your strength of schedule will be vastly better than an undefeated AAC team. You want to know what might fix that? Invite the AAC team into your conference. Or reduce your conference games to about 6 games and play 6 OOC games to better adjust for differences in strength of schedule. Nobody is going to do that. Because nobody in power wants to lose power. Period.

In the immortal words of Bruce Hornsby; that's just the way it is and some things will never change. But again, I don't want to hear any nonsense about the fact that regular seasons matter, because they don't. If you're undefeated, you should at least be afforded the chance to play for it all...

 

[SubbaBub]

So now you’ve decided what the committee is going to do based off results that haven’t happened yet and it’s going to be wrong.

Do you have an actual example of when they haven’t gotten the four right or is it just complaing for complaining’s sake?

Last Season. Ohio State lost it's division to the conference champion that beat it head to head. A conference that had 4 top 10 ranked teams for most of the season.

This should be simple. If you don't win your conference then by definition you aren't the best team. A season long trial ended with someone who played the most similar schedule possible end that trial ahead of you.

The only real decision is to decide the 4th spot between the 4th/5th P5 champions, the best G5 team and ND.

Anytime that doesn't happen, the committee is biased.

Right now there little to no separation amongst the P5 conferences and watching the USF/UCF game the ACA. Any talk of taking a non-champion is nonsense.

Assuming no upsets the four should be
Bama, Wisc, UCF, and the Oklahoma.

 

[HartfordHank]

If you're undefeated, you should at least be afforded the chance to play for it all...

Were people here advocating for a 13-0 Western Michigan to be in the CFP last year? Very similar situation as UCF this year. If you weren't advocating for Western Michigan last year you are just being a homer this year!

 

[noeynox]

Were people here advocating for a 13-0 Western Michigan to be in the CFP last year? Very similar situation as UCF this year. If you weren't advocating for Western Michigan last year you are just being a homer this year!

That team wasn't as good. I'm not saying ucf belongs but this UCF team is better than that one m

 

[HartfordHank]

Assuming no upsets the four should be
Bama, Wisc, UCF, and the Oklahoma.

No way a one loss Clemson or Miami should be left out for UCF. Assuming Clemson wins tomorrow the ACC Championship game should be a play in for the playoffs. If Miami was still undefeated I would have said the winner of that game was in and the loser was out.

 

[CTMike]

I don’t envy Aresco’s position. He’s trying to make the big kids think that the tallest midget belongs. But, he took the position knowing that, so I don’t have all that much sympathy to hear from him that people don’t buy what he’s selling. That’s his job. Figure it out Mike. Putting P6 on down markers ain’t doing it.

My opinion is he has to figure out how to get the other leagues to agree to a 6 or 8 team playoff that includes the AAC. That’s not easy but I don’t see another way.

It wouldn’t hurt if teams consistently beat the P5 either but that’s out of his control.

 

[HartfordHank]

That team wasn't as good. I'm not saying ucf belongs but this UCF team is better than that one m

Western Michigan beat Northwestern and Illinois out of conference. UCF has beaten Maryland and avoided Georgia Tech out of Conference.

I still say if you didn't advocate for Western Michigan you are being a homer for the AAC. Very similar case can be made for both teams.

 

[zls44]

Western Michigan beat Northwestern and Illinois out of conference. UCF has beaten Maryland and avoided Georgia Tech out of Conference.

Avoided Georgia Tech? Avoided? Really? You chucklehead.

 

[noeynox]

Western Michigan beat Northwestern and Illinois out of conference. UCF has beaten Maryland and avoided Georgia Tech out of Conference.

I still say if you didn't advocate for Western Michigan you are being a homer for the AAC. Very similar case can be made for both teams.

In conference they beat Memphis and would have beaten usf. This conference is much better than the MAC.

 

[SubbaBub]

Were people here advocating for a 13-0 Western Michigan to be in the CFP last year? Very similar situation as UCF this year. If you weren't advocating for Western Michigan last year you are just being a homer this year!

How many top 25 teams did WMU beat? Zero. UCF would have beaten at least two same as most other P5 teams under consideration. Thanks for playing.

 

[Wordbomar]

Western Michigan beat Northwestern and Illinois out of conference. UCF has beaten Maryland and avoided Georgia Tech out of Conference.

I still say if you didn't advocate for Western Michigan you are being a homer for the AAC. Very similar case can be made for both teams.

Though I will say that this is definitely a different scenario. I don't understand how anyone goes 13-0 and doesn't make the playoffs. Needs to be 8 teams. Best G5 gets in

 

[sportsart]

Western Michigan beat Northwestern and Illinois out of conference. UCF has beaten Maryland and avoided Georgia Tech out of Conference.

I still say if you didn't advocate for Western Michigan you are being a homer for the AAC. Very similar case can be made for both teams.

Playing in a weak conference is a different story for WM.

Playing more physical teams week in and week out makes a difference.

W Mich would not have been unbeaten in the AAC last year.

 

[Bobol]

If the committee does such a bad job can someone give me a playoff that hasn’t had the right teams in it?

Yeah, Penn State should have been in last season's 4 team playoff rather than The Ohio State given the fact that last season Penn State defeated The Ohio State in route to winning the Big 10 Championship.

 

[whaler11]

Yeah, Penn State should have been in last season's 4 team playoff rather than The Ohio State given the fact that last season Penn State defeated The Ohio State in route to winning the Big 10 Championship.

To make thar argument you’d need to use logic opposite what this thread is based on.

Fwiw, few agree specifically to that case and almost no one agrees with 2 loss teams over 1 loss teams in general when there is a h2h win.

 

[Bobol]

Good for Aresco for speaking up and attempting to create the issue regarding selection.

I believe that Fresco is doing a reasonably good job "playing the cards dealt to him". My issue with the American is that there are too many irrelevant teams: Tulsa, ECU, Tulane, and SMU which detract from its strengths.

Single conference for football with the following schools is much more attractive.
UConn
Memphis
Houston
Navy
UCF
USF
Temple
Cincinnati

Likewise the above teams in a single basketball conference with Wichita State is a big time basketball conference.

 

[Bobol]

To make thar argument you’d need to use logic opposite what this thread is based on.

Fwiw, few agree specifically to that case and almost no one agrees with 2 loss teams over 1 loss teams in general when there is a h2h win.

Hey Whale ...... Take a moment to read Coach Meyer's comments to see just how wrong you are. Urban Meyer: Penn State should've made College Football Playoff

 

[ASweet3781]

Good for Aresco for speaking up and attempting to create the issue regarding selection.

I believe that Fresco is doing a reasonably good job "playing the cards dealt to him". My issue with the American is that there are too many irrelevant teams: Tulsa, ECU, Tulane, and SMU which detract from its strengths.

Single conference for football with the following schools is much more attractive.
UConn
Memphis
Houston
Navy
UCF
USF
Temple
Cincinnati

Likewise the above teams in a single basketball conference with Wichita State is a big time basketball conference.

Tulsa and East Carolina were the real mistakes. They really bring nothing at all. Tulane and SMU are fine to get to 10, New Orleans and Dallas and good academics.

 

[sportsart]

I'm hoping someday I'm the smartest guy in the room.

 

[whaler11]

Hey Whale . Take a moment to read Coach Meyer's comments to see just how wrong you are. Urban Meyer: Penn State should've made College Football Playoff

LOL he’s saying over Washington not Ohio State.

He probably thinks Michigan belonged in over Clemson too.

If there is anyone we can trust with the decision it’s the head coaches for sure. No bias there!

 

[whaler11]

I'm hoping someday I'm the smartest guy in the room.

You probably are going to have to do more than hope.

 

[Hoophound]

This is kind of ridiculous. We have college football on a few networks. ABC/ESPN are actually the same network. The ONLY way to get acknowledgement from the the college football world that the AAC is a major conference is for ABC/ESPN to declare it so. Simple as that, they create the narrative.

I defy anyone to tell me that the game I just watched between UCF and USF wasn’t a major heavyweight game. Major skill and athleticism on display. The broadcast quality was high, the announcers professional, the sound amplified. It was a big time PRODUCTION. The whole thing was big time. ESPN can flip that switch whenever they want. They decided to make that a big game. They put the resources into the broadcast. They will decide what the AAC becomes.

 

[UConnDan97]

Were people here advocating for a 13-0 Western Michigan to be in the CFP last year? Very similar situation as UCF this year. If you weren't advocating for Western Michigan last year you are just being a homer this year!

Yes, I was advocating for them too. I've advocated for undefeated teams since the dawn of time, thank you...

 

[noeynox]

This is kind of ridiculous. We have college football on a few networks. ABC/ESPN are actually the same network. The ONLY way to get acknowledgement from the the college football world that the AAC is a major conference is for ABC/ESPN to declare it so. Simple as that, they create the narrative.

I defy anyone to tell me that the game I just watched between UCF and USF wasn’t a major heavyweight game. Major skill and athleticism on display. The broadcast quality was high, the announcers professional, the sound amplified. It was a big time PRODUCTION. The whole thing was big time. ESPN can flip that switch whenever they want. They decided to make that a big game. They put the resources into the broadcast. They will decide what the AAC becomes.

It also had a packed Stadium. That adds to the quality of the production. Those have been hard to come by in this league.

 

[sportsart]

I enjoyed listening to the announcers. The play by play guy made it feel like a big time game.

Which it was.

 

[Hoophound]

It also had a packed Stadium. That adds to the quality of the production. Those have been hard to come by in this league.

They help fill stadiums. They tell people who is good, who is worth watching, who is improving. I’m sitting at a 5 day Thanksgiving celebration in Florida and the ACC fans actually think the ACC is the equal of the SEC. Why? ESPN says so. You could fill the Rent with ease if ESPN kept saying UConn was on the cusp of being good or great. That’s all Connecticut needs to hear.